- Web Master
- September 19, 2024
The video clippings showing the process of providing
military training and distributing weapons to them are now circulating on
social media.
The residents informed Narinjara News that the junta was
arming Muslims and deploying them on the Rakhine frontline.
"The junta denies that the Muslims are being enlisted to join the military
service through their media outlets including newspapers and television
channels. But contrary to their claims, Muslim youths are being recruited in
the military. A number of video clippings prove that the Muslim youths
are undergoing training and also receiving weapons. Many of them are deployed
in frontline areas," said a local resident.
Currently, Muslim youths from Sittwe, Buthidaung
and Kyauk Ta Lone Muslim IDP camp in Kyaukphyu are being conscripted for the
service. The number of individuals involved in the process may reach up to
thousands.
"Thus the military junta is preparing to defend their bases from the
Arakan Army (AA) fighters. The soldiers will use those Muslim youths as the
human shields," added the resident.
A Rakhine political analyst commented that because of
the junta’s tricks there emerge tensions between the Rakhine civilians and
Muslims and hence everyone needs to be careful.
"It should be noted that the junta is
deliberately escalating the enmities between the two communities in Rakhine
State,” added the political analyst.
The junta after losing many battles is resorting
to various conspiracies against the Rakhine people. They may want to escalate
the existing conflicts and troubles. Hence various religious and ethnic
entities have been opposing the junta's actions," the analyst
continued.
The junta is compelling the Muslims in Sittwe to pay Kyats 500,000 if
they refuse to join the military service.
"Those who declined to join the military service
faced the order to pay Kyats 200,000. Now the amount has been increased to
Kyats 500,000. As they cannot afford to pay the amount, many of them have
joined the service,” said a young man with close ties with the Muslims, adding
that thousands of Muslim youths are now being forced to join the military
service.